Missouri gets worst of storm, but Springfield mostly spared

A massive winter snowstorm making its way across the Midwest and into the Mid-Atlantic region dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of Missouri and contributed to at least five deaths, authorities said Saturday.

So far, Springfield has dodged the worst of it.

Kyle Perez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Springfield, said the Springfield area had seen mainly rain through Saturday afternoon, with temperatures remaining above freezing. "We could see sort of a changeover to patchy freezing drizzle later this evening when the surface temperature drops below freezing," he said.

Perez said the weather system should work its way out of the area by early afternoon Sunday.

The storm moved into Kansas and Nebraska from the Rockies on Friday, then east into Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, covering roads and making driving dangerous. Part of Interstate 44 near St. Louis was blocked for several hours Saturday, and at one point the Missouri State Highway Patrol warned of traffic delays as long as eight hours.

For travelers already near St. Louis, a detour at Exit 251 near Pacific is advised.

The storm was expected to spread east into the Mid-Atlantic region, with between 3 and 6 inches of snow expected in the Washington area, including parts of northern and central Maryland, by Sunday. Forecasters said heavier snow and higher amounts could fall in mountain areas north of Interstate 64, such as Charlottesville and Staunton, Virginia.

Missouri had gotten the worst of the storm by Saturday, with the National Weather Service reporting more than a foot of snow Saturday morning in some places around St. Louis and Jefferson City, and more than 18 inches in Columbia.

At least five people were killed in crashes on slick roadways in Kansas and Missouri. They included a woman and her 14-year-old stepdaughter whose car slid into the path of a semitrailer in Clinton on Friday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. Another woman died when her car slid on U.S. 24 in northern Missouri and was hit by an oncoming SUV.

In Kansas, a 62-year-old man died after his pickup truck skidded on the Kansas Turnpike and hit a concrete barrier, according to the patrol. Another crash involving two semitrailers in snowy conditions killed a 41-year-old driver from Mexico, the patrol said.

"We're anticipating still more snow through today, so we're asking motorists to stay home until the roads are cleared," said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Collin Stosberg, stationed in suburban Kansas City. "If you do have to get out on the road, we're asking you to do three things: Have your cellphone fully charged, wear your seat belt and slow your speed for the conditions."

Missouri troopers responded to more than 3,000 calls for help through early Saturday afternoon, including more than 700 crashes and 1,300 stranded vehicles. Illinois State Police said troopers along the Mississippi River across from St. Louis have responded to more than 100 crashes during the storm.

At Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, most flights were canceled or delayed.

In central Missouri, officials said about 12,000 households and businesses were without power in Columbia and the surrounding area at one point.